Broken Barrier
by Sofie Kendal
Summary: "Who are you?" There was no reply. "Where are we?" Still no answer. "Please answer me. Is the Man in Black here? I want mommy and daddy!" When a six year old girl undergoes the biggest trauma of her life, will anyone help her? Will she be capable of acknowledging the fact that her life is a lie? AU, NightwingxOC
1. The Day My Life Began

**AN: This is my first time** **publishing any of my random fanfic thoughts. Please feel free to comment and or PM me any thoughts, constructive criticism, or ideas about the story. Thank you so much! This story is rated M to be safe.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or any of DC universes characters. If I did, then the company would be crap and broke. Thank god I don't own it.**

I was 6 years old. January 6th. Just over a week after Christmas. The date was seared into my brain. I remember walking back from the public school two blocks from our apartment. It was cold and windy. One of those days where you could see your breath frozen in the air, and if your face was bare, it would go numb in an instant. I remember inserting the key and turning the knob on our almost-broke-in-half door. Entering the small space I called home, I walked to the small island table in our kitchen to start my homework and to grab an apple to eat as a snack. It was there that my life changed.

In the middle of the tiny room was a man dressed in all black, with his back to me. What was a man in black doing in the house? Was he like the Man in the Yellow Hat? Should I call him the Man in Black? In his hand there was a long silver stick-like thing. Dripping from the shiny edge was a dark red substance. It looked thick and goopy. Behind him were two large objects covered with a trash bag. 'What was that red thing? Did mommy forget to take the trash outside again?' I wondered. I walked closer to the man. Squeeek! A few seconds passed. Then I realized that the noise came from me. I looked down and saw a small plastic barbie doll that was lodged underneath my foot. I looked back up again and saw that the man was now facing me. His whole face was covered except for his eyes. They were as black as the ashes in our fireplace that was now broken. Mommy and daddy had said that one of their work friends had come home and accidentally fallen and broke the controls so now if anyone tried to use it the whole house would... I looked at The Man in Black. He was so tall that if I kept my head perfectly straight I could only see his leg. I cranked my neck up. Covering his chest was the same red substance that was on the stick still in his hand.

"Hello," I said. "Are you here to see mommy and daddy?" The Man in Black said nothing. He simply turned and stared out the window. 'What is he doing?' I wondered. The man turned away from the window and looked straight at me. He put his shiny stick-like thing in his belt. Then he stood and stared again. A few seconds passed and he turned again, this time to the counter top that had my backpack neatly positioned in the corner. He grabbed my backpack at a speed that was like lightning. It was so swift, I did not realize he had opened it and taken a notebook and pencil out. 'Now what was he going to do with that?' I thought. He took one of his glove-covered hands and neatly started writing. "Does anyone else live here?" "Nope! Just my mommy and daddy," I told him. I don't know why I answered. It just seemed like I could really trust this man. "Do you have any other family?" the Man in Black wrote. "It's just me and my mommy and daddy." I said again. The Man in Black froze for a second.

After another moment of silence he moved again. This time he dropped the paper and pencil on the floor, and took something out of his belt. 'Was it one of those things that daddy used? The ones that he used to light his cigarettes?' I questioned in my head. The Man in black took the item and dragged his thumb across the top. A small glowing yellow-orange light appeared. Then he dropped it behind him on top of the two trash bags. All of a sudden the room started to light up with flames. I screamed. The Man in Black looked at me again. As quickly as he had grabbed my backpack he grabbed onto me. He covered my mouth with a cloth and…..


	2. I don't think I'm in Chicago anymore

**AN: Please feel free to comment and or PM me any thoughts, constructive criticism, or ideas about the story. Thank you so much for the support! This story is rated M to be safe. Sorry, I'm still trying to find out how to make a page break in the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters from the DC universe.**

Why is my bed so soft? Am I on a cloud? Am I flying? I'm so tired. I slowly open my eyes. It's so bright outside. Like a rainbow was wrapped around my face and my eyes were looking straight through the layer of yellow. I slowly sat up. The soft-as-a-bunny white sheets pooled at my waist. Where was I? this wasn't my room. My sheets were harder and red. Red! The fire? All of my memories suddenly came back. The man in black. He set a fire. After I answered his questions. Why would he do that? I thought I could trust him! I stood up and regretfully got out of the bed. The room was giving me a headache. Maybe it was because of the light and the memories. Yeah. That was it. I walked around the room. There was a door to my left and a window to my right. I put my hands up to see which one could make the letter L. I was always bad at telling my right from my left, so mommy taught me that trick to remember. She said she had the same problem when she was my age. Mommy. Where was she? Mommy and daddy were looking for me, right? I missed them so much. Wait! First things first. Where was I?

I slowly walked up to the window. I gasped. Outside, there was a beautiful ocean, with crystal clear water and sand that looked tan and perfect. The sun was warm and shining and there were forest green colored palm leaves attached to trees that ran up and down the beach. "I don't think I am in Chicago anymore" I whispered to myself. As I was staring out the window, I did not realize that someone had opened the door behind me. That someone had walked swiftly and silently behind me. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jumped and turned. 'At least I didn't scream.' I thought. "Who are you?" I wondered out loud.

The someone who tapped my shoulder was not the Man in Black. He was a boy. He was taller than me, and I knew that he had to be a few years older as well. "Who are you?" There was no reply. "Where are we?" Still no answer. "Please answer me. Is the Man in Black here? I want mommy and daddy!" It was like a dam broke inside me. All of the emotions, all of the feelings that I had held inside left all at once. I single tear left my face. Then another. Then another. The boy in front of me had watched as I asked my questions like they were a confession. With all the tears following, I think it was safe to say that he thought I was a spoiled insignificant inferior human being. After a few minutes of me crying pathetically, tears that still hadn't ceased, he surprised me. He walked past me to the bed. Still not saying a word he sat down and waved me forward. As I reached his arms length, he pulled to him, hugging me. I stood like that for a while, still sobbing, and most likely ruining his black button down shirt. The boy just stat there, letting me adjust to the fact that I was placed in an environment where I had no idea what to do and, embraced me and softly rubbed my back.

After what seemed like an eternity, I stopped crying. The boy slowly let go as if I were to break down again. "Thank you", I told him as I looked down at the soft carpet, embarrassed, "But I still don't know where I am. Please tell me." The boy looked at me warily and shook his head. He took her hand softly and motioned for her to follow him. She nodded and whispered another question. "Where are we going?" Again, he did not reply, and turned toward the room's doors. Slowly he lead her to the door.

 _YJYJYJYJ_

The white door was 85% glass, all in the center. This she had not noticed before. It looked like the windows in her small home in Chicago, when it had gotten so cold, that there were ice crystals formed on the class. Because of this she could not actually see outside the door. The boy placed his left thumb over the the doorknob, like Daddy did with his keys, as his right hand was still occupied holding hers. A green light developed around his thumb and the door made a soft clicking sound. He then tuned the elegant handle and opened the door. He pulled me with him outside. The first thing I saw was a massive room. It had to be ten times as big as my home combined. Then again, I thought, the room I was just in was as big as my whole home combined. Directly in front of me their was a kitchen. The boy pulled me closer, and led me toward the marble island around it. He picked me up like I was a feather, and sat me down in one of the high chairs at the island. Then he walked around so he was directly in front of me, but behind the counter and stared at me. "What do you want for breakfast" said in the most gentlest voice imaginable. This had to be the first time since the whole ordeal that another human being spoke to me. I smiled at him and my eyes started to tear up again. I quickly wiped them, but I know the boy saw them. "Do you have pancakes?" I asked. "Yes" he said smiling back at me. "Just wait for a few minutes."

The boy turned around and started to take, measure, and return thing to their place back in the cupboards behind him. I stared in awe. 'He was just as fast or faster that the Man in Black' I thought to myself. 'No! Don't think about him. Maybe the nice boy will tell me who he is' I contemplated. In a few short moments the boy had a bowel full of pancake batter next to him. "Do you know what you know what kind of shape you want your pancakes to be?" the boy asked gently. "Mommy always makes them into Mickey mouse," I said cheerfully. Unknown to the girl, the boy was cringing at the mention of one of her parents. 'She is so young,' he thought. 'She really doesn't understand what is happening to her.' "Ok" the boy said, responding to the girl before him.

"So," the girl said conversationally, "Are you going to tell me your name?" The boy looked up at her from behind the pan. He seemed to think really hard about something for a moment. "My name is Richard." He finally stated. "What is your name?" Just then the girl's tummy started to rumble. Richard laughed. He grabbed a plate and slid the really yummy looking pancakes on it. "Pancakes are ready just in time" He said. "Bonn appetite!"


	3. Brunch Pancakes

**AN: Hi again, I'm Sorry its been so long since I updated, its been a crazy couple of months. Thank all of you for reading my fanfic,**

 **Special Shout Out to .77, Human-Clay, Wrath Of Pride and lunita- depp. Thanks so much for your support!**

 **As always feel free to PM me on any ideas, comments, or things that need to be fixed, I appreciate it a ton.**

 **Disclaimer** **: I do not own anything from the Batman or Young Justice Universes, if I did they would both suck and or would not exist. :P**

 **Thanks Again Guys, and Finally, on with the Show!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Brunch Pancakes

* * *

So...are you ever going to tell me your name?" Richard politely questioned me after I had finished eating my pancakes.

"Sure. It's Alfie. Alfie Kane," The little girl responded with a smile.

"Well, Alfie, what is the last thing you can remember?" Richard asked, almost as if he were extremely cautious and maybe even scared.

"I remember the Man in Black. He put my house on fire, right? Is he still here? Where is he? Are you like him?"

Richard grimaced. This string of questions was the last thing he had wanted to have to answer. It was something he really dreaded in that moment. God, why couldn't Bruce just handle this? Oh right: because Bruce had no skills with six year olds. Richard sighed.

"No, he's gone. You won't have to deal with him anymore. He's gone, ok?" Richard said reassuringly.

"Ok, but where am I?" I asked. I was so confused.

"You're at a vacation home on the Fiji Islands" Richard answered.

"The Fiji Islands? How did I get here? Why did you take me here?" At this point I was shouting, and crying all over again.

"Shhhh. It's ok. I promise we will take care of you. We rescued you from your house, ok? We will make sure you're fine."

"Do you pinky promise?" I asked as I extended her pinky finger.

"Yes. I pinky promise. By the time you leave us you will be alright," Richard said soothingly as he extended his pinky finger to meet hers. As their fingers met in the promise, both people felt sparks. 'What was that?' Richard mentally queried. That doesn't happen when I'm with Barbra.

"Sorry, are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just like you promised I would be." I smiled again.

This one seemed bigger than the ones before. Maybe it was just him, but now her smile seemed brighter. Richard pushed that thought aside.

"Wait," I said suddenly, interrupting the moment without actually being aware of it.

"What is it?" Richard asked.

"You said we. That we would protect you."

"Yes..."

"Who is we? Who else is supposed to or going to try to protect me?"

"Well," Richard grimaced. Bruce was going to kill him for this. Or tell him that he couldn't go on patrol for the next month. He didn't know which one was worse. "Well, we, as in me, and my…. my father."

"Your father?" I asked in surprise. If Richard had a father, where was he?

"He… he's at a party on one of the other islands."

"Is he as nice as you?"

"He… can be nice sometimes. But he's a little... dark"

"Dark? How can he be dark? If you're his son then doesn't that mean his skin has to be kinda the same as yours? He issssss your real father right?" I said in a rush. Stretching out the 's' in "is".

"Alfie, has anyone told you that you are really smart for your age?"

"Yes, Daddy always put me in school. That's all it was. Free school. Every second of the day. Allll the time."


	4. Diaries and the Necessary Anxieties

**Disclaimer** **: I do not own anything from the Batman or Young Justice Universes, if I did they would both suck and or would not exist. :P**

 **Thanks Guys for Reading, and Finally, on with the Story!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Diaries and the Necessary Anxiety

* * *

Dear Diary,

I asked Richard if he had any spare notebooks lying around this huge place after he gave me some of the best pancakes ever. A little while after that, Richard took me to the room I was in before. He had told me that his father would be back in a few days.

Apparently the party on the islands was supposed to be a charity gala hosted by Bruce, Richards father. I don't know why Richard got into such a bad mood after talking about him. Maybe they were fighting or something.

Anyways, Richard said that after his father came back, we could talk to him about me going back to Chicago. I really missed my parents and wanted to see them again soon. But for now I think I that I can wait for a few days.

Richard is a really nice guy. Maybe i'll be friends with him even after I go home. I really like him…. but don't tell him that. I think he is one of those guys with the really big… what's that word? Ego? I think that's it. I think his ego might get a lottttttt bigger.

Anyways Richard told me to stay here until he came back. I think he left this reallllly big house. I don't know where he went though. Maybe I'll ask him when he gets back.

Friends get worried if their friends don't come back right? And they can ask their friends any questions right? This is my first time at the whole friends thing. Am I doing this right? I really don't know…

* * *

I put the notebook down after writing my first entry. It was nice to do something that I would do at home. My diary, my best friend. With all the studying my daddy made me do, it was nice to have someone to listen. Hmmm. I wish I could go back home now. Not that I didn't like Richard, but I was seriously getting home sick. Usually during this time mommy would read to me and daddy would bring home some candy. Maybe he would bring me some paint for me….. No. The last time I painted, daddy started yelling. Maybe I should ask Richard for some paint. There has to be some paint in this huuuuge house. Right? Right, I reasoned.

I started to walk to the door, getting ready to leave even though Richard told me not to. Oh well. It's not like he's doing anything wrong or illegal. He probably just need space… I put my finger on the doorknob just like Richard. The whole area glowed a dull red light. Red? Wasn't it green when Richard did it? Oh well. Richard turned the knob next, so that's what I tried to do. I tried to turn the knob, but it wouldn't budge. Why wouldn't it move? I tired doing all the steps over again, trying to use all my fingers to try and find the one that worked.

This continued for awhile, until I sat down more tired than ever. Was I trapped here? No, that's not possible. Richard promised that I would be fine. He promised. He was coming back right? Where was he? Was he the one that locked me in this room? At that moment, I was extremely panicked. A panic attack. These had occurred in my past of course, but mommy was always there to comfort me and made it stop. Where was she? I wanted her. I want my mommy! My breathing got faster and I felt extremely light headed. The room started spinning at that moment…

"MOMMY!"

Someone had screamed mommy. Was that me? Of course it was. I was the only one here.

At that exact moment, Richard showed door opened up suddenly and Richard squeezed through the opening, almost as if he knew exactly where I would be behind the frosted glass door. (He really did have perfect time. Why was he always showing up at my weaker moments?) Just as my vision started to black out he came over and picked me up in his arms like I was a feather. He set me on the bed and held me.

"Deep breaths Alfie. You're going to be ok. Shhhh. Deep breaths." He repeated over and over again like it was his new personal mantra.

I seemed from out of nowhere, but really, he had just opened a drawer, he pulled out a cold compress, holding to my forehead, gentle, but firm. As I kept taking deep slow breaths, my vision started clearing.

"Are you ok now?" Richard asked.

"Yes. Why didn't the door open?" I questioned slowly.

"My father only programed his and my fingerprints into the locks. I can put your in now if you would like."

"Yes. I would like that." A second later, "Where did you go?"

"I had to take care of something on another island "

"Then how did you get back so fast?"

"The island wasn't very far away. It was only a couple minutes if you travel in my father's plane."

"Plane? Your dad has his own private plane?"

"Yea… Why did you have a panic attack?"

"Ummm, I wanted some paint."

"Paint? Why did you have a panic attack over paint?"

"Well… it doesn't really matter now does it?"

At this point, I was sure that my face was as red as a toma to. There was no way that I was going to tell Richard why I actually had a panic attack. Now way! He had already seen me in a few of my insecure moments. I was not going to add to that list unless absolutely necessary.

"No, I guess it doesn't now. Are you sure that you're alright now?"

"Yes, I'm feeling a lot better."

"Good." Richard said. He took the cold compress off of my forehead, and threw it in an empty trash bin in a corner of the room. He stood up first, rather abruptly, and then beckoned me to follow. He stood by my side, as if waiting to catch me and pick me up bridal style if I even stumbled once.


End file.
